Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (Bame) Women, Mental Health and Covid-19

Sandra Kerr CBE, Race Equality Director at Business in the Community, has shared with us some useful guidance on the impact of Covid-19 on ethnic minorities in the UK.

Women make up over half (50.8%) of the resident population of England and Wales and at the last Census, 13.9% or 3.9 million of these women were from a Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) background.   Data from the latest Annual Population Survey (Jan – Dec 2019) shows that BAME women currently make up 16% of the female working-age population of England and Wales.  White women make up the remaining 84%.  It is worth noting that BAME men currently make up 15% of the male working-age population.

It is well documented that many women from the Windrush generation came to the UK in the 40’s, 50’s, 60’s and 70’s to work in the NHS and that BAME women are overrepresented in health and social care services in 2020. The Race Disparity Unit (RDU) data shows for example that whilst the Black/Black British population account for only 3.4% of the working-age population 6.1% of employees in the NHS are Black [1]. The Asian/Asian British population account for 7.2% of the working-age population and 10% of the NHS are Asian [1].

Currently, a third of COVID-19 patients, are from BAME backgrounds which is disproportionate when compared to their 13% representation in the UK population [1].  Men appear to be more susceptible to the virus than women. So, whether it is BAME women themselves or their fathers, sons, brothers, or partners there is likely to be a disproportionate impact on ethnic minorities

You can download the rest of this useful factsheet here [1], provided by Business in the Community provides information and advice for organisations on how best to support their BAME employees and colleagues during these challenging times and in the future.

Sources:

[1]  Business in the Community. 2020. Ethnicity and the Economic Impact of covid19 [Accessed 14/04/21]